David L. Pokress/Newsday/MCTBrett Favre greets Dustin Keller, who scored a touchdown, during a game against the Rams last season.

Dustin Keller can trace his professional growth back to an indecisive, loose-lipped, gray-bearded, 39-year-old man, who dresses in purple these days.

For all the angst and anger Brett Favre created during his tumultuous season with the Jets, perhaps the future Hall of Fame quarterback's greatest gift was mentoring one of the franchise's bright, young stars.

Favre tutored Keller, helping the rookie tight end throughout last season. They spent countless hours studying third-down films, which helped Keller emerge as Favre's go-to target in the clutch.

"We put more time into it," said Keller, who will be one of the focal points of the Jets' passing game Sunday against the Patriots. "More than most people do. I think doing that extra film work and speaking about it a lot, that's why we had that good connection. He helped me a ton."

Keller was Favre's favorite target during the second half of last season with 35 catches for 388 yards in the final eight games. He peaked with an eight-catch, 87-yard performance -- including five third-down conversions -- in the Jets' wild 34-31 overtime win in New England that he called a "huge confidence booster."

Favre's lessons sped up Keller's maturation process.

"When a Hall of Famer takes you under his wing like that and teaches you," fullback Tony Richardson said, "you can't put a price on that. Dustin is much further along by having a guy like Favre around last year."

Keller has already emerged as one of the Jets' pivotal pieces in their passing attack this year.

"Is he a finished product? No," right tackle Damien Woody said. "But he's made a lot of improvement. He just creates all types of mismatches out there on the field. He has a better grasp of the passing game. He's just going to get better and better and better."

The 6-2, 248-pound second-year pro worked on expanding his repertoire of routes in the offseason. He's lining up more in the slot and outside now, looking to exploit mismatches.

"I knew there was going to be a lot more stuff asked of me this year," Keller said. "I was going to line up in a lot more different positions. I did some of that last year, but not as much. So, I could be all over the field."

Keller has also received advice from one of the game's greats at his position. Perennial Pro Bowler Tony Gonzalez, who watches packaged clips of tight ends around the league each week, passed a message along to Keller through his good friend Richardson: Don't expect one-on-one coverage anymore.

Keller, of course, took advantage of several one-on-one matchups in Week 1 against the Texans, including a 40-yard reception after beating a safety in single coverage.

Keller, who had four catches for a team-high 94 yards last week, has also begun to develop chemistry with Mark Sanchez. The rookie quarterback targeted his tight end seven times in his pro debut last week.

"You have a player who's definitely starting to get it," Woody said of Keller. "Mark and he could grow into a special combination."

The biggest difference for Keller has been his ability to process information quickly.

"As soon as I hear a play come out of Sanchez's mouth, I know what I'm doing immediately," Keller said. "He could give me the first three words of the play call and I already know what he's going to say the rest of the way. Things are just a lot smoother for me."

He can thank you-know-who, in part, for that.

"Favre left pretty fast, so I didn't really get a chance to sit down and thank him," Keller said. "But he knows I'm grateful."

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